12: The Traitor

Complications pile up.

After the revelation that there is a human organization monitoring vampires, Zack goes back to Pen's computer room to gather his thoughts and some information on the suited agent he found at the Hierophant's lair. He got her face and license plate, so that's a beginning.

Gather Information
Intellect 7
5, 10: Weak, +1F

Harm 4 | Stress 4 | Blood 4 | Focus +9

Oracle
What complication is found?
36, 50, 67: Command, Otherworldly, Chaos

It takes him a while, pretty much the rest of the night. He scours the Umbra, the vampiric internet, for clues. He checks for car records, speeding tickets, face-recognition algorithms. And finally he learns something he can bite on: the car is owned by a car rental company in downtown, that is owned through a subsidiary... by a renegade vampire named Andrew, from the Adamants.

This is bad. They already have a mole feeding them information, if this is as dire as it looks like. Probably an asset flipped through blackmail or coercion. The size of Zack's mission begins to form in his mind.

Conceal the Hierophant's crime
[🞻| | | | | | | | | ]
Rank: Formidable (🞻)

But for now, time to sleep. He heads back home by cab to his ruined factory; the rats leave him be tonight. He puts the tarp over his body and it's night-night.

Rest
Intellect 7
1, 3: Strong hit, +1H +2F

Harm 5 | Stress 4 | Blood 4 | Focus +10

Wakey-wakey. The night is young. The sound of traffic gently shakes him as dusk sets in. He pulls the tarp off and looks around, then checks his phone.

Oracle
Any text messages? Unlikely
47: no

No news is good news. He feels motivated and confident, so he takes a cab towards Andrew's car rental shop. Looming skyscrapers cast long, dark shadows.

There's no way the other vampire lineages are not aware of what's going on. Or The Queen. She has to have taken precautions. Which means that she's probably got agents of her own in this mess, acting in parallel with Zack. Damn.

The car rental shop looks like a reconverted ancient shop from the 1960s. The yellow-ness of what was once white surfaces is almost painful. It's a short building in the middle of a city block in downtown. People are still walking out of restaurants and bars at this time, roughly 9pm. There are drivers sitting on plastic chairs near the street-facing glass wall, and customers (likely tourists) waiting their turn or returning cars. So Zack focuses and draws blood to bring color to his skin.

Use Power: Appear Human
Glamour 6
2, 5: Strong hit, Max Focus

He steps out of the taxi and considers his options. He can't afford to draw attention to himself and have the police involved.

Action: Find a Way In
Intellect 7
2, 3: Strong hit, Max Focus, +2 roll

He notices that there is a roof door access on top, so that's where he will make his entrance from. It will require a little bit of parkour and agility. He goes to a nearby alley, checks for onlookers, cracks his knuckles, and gets to work.

Action: Infiltrate
Dexterity 6, +2 roll, +1 home invader
2, 3: Strong hit, Max Focus, +1S

He makes it! He's able to climb the wall using tools, ledges, windows and indentations on the brick walls. After a few minutes he's onto the roof and then past the door there, into the building.

Oracle
Anyone in the back shop? Likely
63: Yes

The backroom of the rental agency has an overweight latino man, bald and with a goatee, sitting on a couch next to the water cooler.

Oracle
Is he asleep? 01-50 No
29: He's awake

Of course he's awake. Zack sighs deeply and decides to sneak upon him and subdue him. Without violence, without his face being seen. He'll take the office computer and go. First things first, he has to sneak on the guy.

Face Danger
Dexterity 6
4, 4: Max focus, match!

It's Andrew, the traitor vampire! Zack cannot believe his luck as he draws his pistol and puts it to the back of his head, murmuring menacingly:
"Don't move. Don't talk. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm going to take your computer. Make me mad and I'll have every vampire hunter in the city here in minutes. Get me, fuckface?"

Compel
Force 5, Focus burn
2, 9: Strong hit

Harm 5 | Stress 5 | Blood 4 | Focus +2

Andrew shivers in surprise, then keeps his eyes on the opposite wall. "A-alright. I didn't want to. They made me. I--"
"I said shut up." Zack hisses, looking around and pressing the gun harder into the other's back head. He finds the laptop he came looking for and pockets it quickly into his backpack. Then he asks in a whisper, "You tell a soul, I'll come back for you. What's her name?"
"The agent?"
"Who else, idiot?"
"Gabriella. She's relentless, she--"
But Zack is already gone by then.